UNDP Jobs - 56006- Project Manager - Law and Order Trust Fund for Afg

Project Manager - Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA)

Location :

Kabul, AFGHANISTAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

03-May-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

3 months

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP Afghanistan

UNDP Afghanistan is supporting the Government to find innovative solutions to its development challenges based on the Country Programme Document approved by the Executive Board for the period 2015 – 2019. Key priority areas for UNDP assistance are strengthening accountable governance, justice and rule of law, equitable and inclusive development, and social equity, with special attention to women. UNDP Afghanistan seeks to achieve transformational change in an environment of high complexity and insecurity. Conflict sensitivity is applied throughout the programme, and is mainstreamed in all projects. Political, economic, and conflict analysis of the provinces where UNDP works will be undertaken through UNDP’s regional hubs at the sub-national level. This will have to be accompanied by greater use of national systems, focus on capacity development instead of capacity substitution and helping to phase out parallel structures, and strengthen approaches to regionalization.

LOTFA

The Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA), was established in 2002 to provide a funding channel for the international community to support the establishment of the ANP (Afghan National Police), particularly through the transfer of funding for ANP and prison guard salaries and equipment. LOTFA is UNDP’s largest project globally. Over time, partners working in the area of rule of law and security in Afghanistan envisioned LOTFA to not only serve as a funding channel, but as a development project that would develop the capacity of the MOIA. Community oriented policing, gender and institutional development activities have been added gradually since LOTFA phase V (Sept 2008 – Dec 2010). However, this shift has been challenged by different stakeholders’ perspectives of the role of LOTFA and the overall approach to security sector reform in Afghanistan. Furthermore the project has never been able to build a technically solid capacity development approach understood and jointly implemented by the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOIA) and LOTFA. The Project has also been challenged by widely published fraud in 2012 and the multiple daily complications related to salary payments of approximately 550 million USD annually.

As a result, the newly elected Government of Afghanistan only approved LOTFA phase VII (LOTFA Akheri) for a period of 6 months from January 2015 to June 2015. In April 2015 a mid-term review on LOTFA was conducted by the Government and the international community with presentations made by LOTFA staff. The subsequent Project Board strongly endorsed the continuation of UNDP’s work in this area until December 2016, but under an overarching project framework consisting of two projects: 1) a payroll project co-located with the Ministry of Interior from June 2015 onwards and 2) an integrated capacity development project focusing on MOIA and police development.

Overall Objective of Assignment

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Unit, Rule of Law and the day-to-day coordination with the Programme Officer, the Project Manager is responsible for the achievement of project targets and results of LOTFA’s integrated capacity development project excluding the payroll.

The Project Manager has a team of international and local project professional technical experts and support staff. S/he manages the day-to-day implementation of the project and supervises project experts and personnel, focusing on ensuring the smooth and coherent operation of the project thereby leveraging the technical expertise provided by the technical experts. S/he works in close collaboration with the UNDP CO Programme, Strategy, Results and Communications, Operations and Security Teams and maintains effective working relationships with project IPs, donors and other partners such as UN agencies.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

Ensure direction of project activities and achievement of project targets and results
Ensure day-to-day management of the project
Ensure provision of high-quality technical advice and build partnerships
Facilitate knowledge building and management.

Ensures the direction of project activities and the achievement of project targets and results, by focusing on the following results:

In accordance with the Project Document and in close coordination with IPs and the project specialists, plan and develop project Annual Work Plans (AWPs) and establish Annual Targets according to UNDP CO timelines. Design project budget. Ensure that AWP activities suggested are in line with the overall direction set by the Project Document and lead to achievements of project targets and results.
Oversee and coordinate development and formulation of detailed implementation plans, procurement and human resources, communication and risk management plans for the Project. Coordinate and ensure timely updates of all planning instruments in close collaboration with relevant CO units.
Ensure implementation of activities as per AWP and agreed deadlines as well as according to detailed implementation, procurement and HR plans. Identify bottlenecks and develop solutions. Regularly meet with IPs and other project counterparts.
Assess project impact and oversee the appropriateness and accuracy of methods used to verify progress and results.
Establish adequate monitoring procedures and systems throughout project activities in close collaboration with the CO Results Team. Ensure that adequate systems are in place to gather data and information for project monitoring and that systematic monitoring of project progress against targets is undertaken, including regular field trips for monitoring purposes. Develop innovative improvements to enhance performance of the project.
Ensure that UNDP´s results-management systems are kept updated for project results-information including ATLAS project management module.
Manage the accurate and timely high-quality results reporting on the progress of the project and achievement of annual targets to the Project Board and donors. Ensure that reports are prepared according to UNDP’s SOPs, quality standards and in line with the contractual obligations to project donors. Ensure that all internal and external reports are submitted by deadlines.
Coordinate and prepare ad hoc thematic and substantive reports/analysis/briefs.
Implement project communications activities in close collaboration with the CO Communications Team.
Organise and participate in project level coordination meetings and/or technical working groups as per project document and AWP. Share information on technical project-related issues with donors, other partners and stakeholders.
Implement project governance arrangements. Oversee organisation of Project Board meetings and ensure timely preparation of agenda, background materials to agenda items and minutes as per CO SOPs.
Immediately escalate issues with potential to impact UNDP´s effectiveness, financial soundness or reputation to the Programme Team and CO senior management. Ensure that UNDP´s corporate interest and rules are guarded at all times and that appropriate action is taken to immediately address problems and challenges.

Ensures day-to-day management of the project, by focusing on the following results:

Ensure compliance of all actions and activities with organizational rules, regulations, policies, strategies and internal control mechanisms.
Mobilize personnel, goods and services, training and micro-capital grants to initiatate activities, including drafting and reviewing terms of references and work specifications and overseeing all contractors’ work. Oversee effective provision of services to IPs as required.
Oversee the appropriate use of project funds as well as the consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations. Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, through advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the FACE (Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures).
Develop project budgets. Monitor budget implementation and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of project expenditure. Coordinate preparation of financial reports to UNDP, as required.
Supervise and manage project personnel and consultants. Develop ToRs/JDs for project staff positions. Oversee recruitment processes. Establish performance objectives and standards and ensure timely and appropriate feedback, guidance and support to ensure optimum performance. Undertake performance evaluation according to UNDP´s policies and deadlines.
Manage and monitor project risks. In collaboration with the technical project staff, IP’s and donors identify new risks and update risk frameworks for consideration of the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible actions if required. Update the status of these risks by maintaining the project risks log.
Ensure appropriate management of project assets, attendance records, filing system.
Implement audit recommendations for the project. Provide inputs to audit management responses.
Initiate operational closure of the project.

Ensures and coordinates provision of high quality technical advice and build partnerships, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Coordinate the advisory activities of the project technical staff. Ensure that technical outputs are provided according to plans and up to highest technical standards. Review and clear technical outputs for quality.
Establish, maintain and facilitate strategic dialogue between project staff and Government officials at central and local levels, NGOs, partners, donors and other stakeholders in project´s area of work.
Ensure provision of technical advice and drafting of papers/briefs/proposals in project´s technical focus.
Identify areas of cooperation and coordination with other UN agencies for implementation of joint activities within the area of the project. Implement joint activities with UN implementing partners as per AWP.
Advocate UNDP with the partners and stakeholders. Consistently promote a positive image of the UNDP.
Identify resources mobilization opportunities in close collaboration with the Programme Team. Develop funding proposals and concepts as requested.
Provide inputs to formulation of UNDP strategies such as of UNDAF and CPD.
Coordinate project strategies and activities with other UNDP projects to ensure the effective implementation of the Country Programme Document.
Provide inputs to UN coordination platforms and participate in meetings, as requested.

Facilitates knowledge building and management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Ensure that the Project systematically builds capacities of Implementing Partners through introduction of innovation and best practices, access to knowledge and expertise and promote its application to project implementation.
Promote teamwork, information sharing and collaboration within the Project Team and between the Project Team and the CO Programme Team.
Promote skills development of project staff through coaching and mentoring.
Ensure capturing and disseminations of lessons learnt during project implementation.
Facilitate the Project’s representation and/or participation in international knowledge networks to draw on and share best practice and lessons learned for application in Afghanistan.

Institutional Arrangements:

The candidate will work under direct supervision of the Rule of Law Unit Head in close consultation with the MOIA and MOF and CO Team.
LOTFA and the CO will provide office space and internet facility, logistical and other support service including transport and security applicable to UNDP international personnel.

Duration of the Work:

The performance under the contract shall take place over total contract duration of 3 months. The candidate will have rest and recuperation every six weeks.

Duty Station:

The duty station for the candidate is Kabul, Afghanistan for the entire duration of the contract.

Competencies

Core competencies:

Promotes ethics and integrity and creates organisational precedents
Builds support and political acumen
Builds staff competence and creates an environment of creativity and innovation
Builds and promotes effective teams
Creates and promotes environment for open communications
Leverages conflict in the interest of UNDP and sets standards
Shares knowledge across the organisation and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced University Degree in Project Management, Business or Public Sector Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, or other relevant discipline.

Experience:

Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in project development and management, with focus on planning, monitoring, reporting, and stakeholder and team coordination in international development organisations.
Demonstrated experience in management of a Project of similar complexity
Excellent knowledge of project management principles and best practices. Project Management Certification, either Prince2 or PMP/PMI would be an advantage.
Extensive managerial experience including experience in leading multi-cultural teams.
Experience in working at the country level including in post-conflict environments.
Computer literacy – MS office applications, web-based management information systems
Experience working for UNDP in senior project management positions.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English.

Proposal Submission

The candidate shall submit a price proposal as below:

Daily Fee – The candidate shall propose a daily fee which should be inclusive of his professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 60.

DSA – The candidate shall propose a DSA at the Kabul applicable rate of USD 181 per day for his stay at the duty station for the duration of the contract. The candidate is not allowed to stay in a place of his choice other than the UNDSS approved places. UNDP will provide MORSS compliant accommodation in Green Village (GV) to the contractor. The cost of GV accommodation shall be deducted from the DSA payment to the contractor.

Travel & Visa – The candidate shall propose an estimated lumpsum for home-kabul-home travel and Afghanistan visa expenses.
The total contract price, inclusive of the above elements, shall be converted into a time based contract with a daily rate.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight 60%
* Financial Criteria weight 40%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

Technical Criteria 70 points

Qualification and Experience (20 marks) [evaluation of CV]

General Qualification (20 marks);
Experience relevant to the assignment (20 marks);
Experience of working for projects funded by UNDP (20 marks).

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II).
Personal CV or UNDP P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II) and the instructions in this TOR.